Who's On Your Mind?

Daniel 4:15b-17 “‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. 17 The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.’”
 
THE tree cut down and the banded stump remaining becomes a person as the messenger says, “him be drenched… live with the animals…his mind be changed...given the mind of an animal.” The king knows the tree is the image of a powerful and prosperous man to be cut down to live as an animal. This animal-like life will be for seven times. This is seven periods of time – weeks, months, years or some other timeframe God has set. “The holy ones declare the verdict.”  is God’s judgment. The king, Babylon, surrounding nations, and the Jews will see again God Most High’s authority to personally transform minds to his purpose. If anyone asked you to summarize Daniel, verse 17 will do quite well.
    God is a mind-changer for his glory. Consider Joseph in Egypt, Gideon, Elijah, Elisha, David and the apostles as examples. God came to these outcasts, farmers, shepherds and fishermen to tell them who he is. At some point, each one began to have a new Spirit-empowered mind to believe God’s words. We know of them today because God changed their minds from pride, fear, doubt and frustration to faithfully know the Most High God’s extraordinary Way.
     The more their minds knew God, the more powerfully they demonstrated to the world how God, indeed, is Most High. The Sovereign LORD used them to judge, warn, prophecy, teach, preach and live his love, mercy and forgiveness. The apostle Paul describes this mind-changing process in Romans 8:6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
    In the king’s dream, God personally spoke to the mind of a sinful man. He also promised he would limit the judgment. Again, this is a message to Israel to know God’s mercy amid his judgment.
    For you today, as you are in Christ, know God has come through his messenger Jesus Christ to alert your mind to your sin and salvation. The Spirit has then come to open your mind to know God is Father, Son and Spirit. He has cut down your pride and banded around you his protection from evil. He has rooted you in the gospel’s power to use your knowledge for his kingdom. Be faithful to use your mind in your time to believe and serve God.
 
1 Corinthians 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.